


Who Could Do This?

by DearHeartx



Series: Fictober 2018 [12]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Pre-Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-21 05:40:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30016971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearHeartx/pseuds/DearHeartx
Summary: Oriana arrives in Halamshiral and sees the destruction that still remains after Celene burned the local alienage.
Relationships: Lavellan/Solas (Dragon Age)
Series: Fictober 2018 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1802731





	Who Could Do This?

Oriana was powdered and glittering, draped in silks and chiffons; tucked neatly into the backseat of a velvet lined carriage. It didn't feel right, trussed up like she was, parading through the Halamshiral alienage. Under normal circumstances she would’ve found this display of wealth vulgar and ill-advised, but the smell of smoke still hung in the air, every other building lay in cinders.

A small gasp escaped her when she saw the Vhenadahl cut to a stump, the dying leaves of the felled tree stretched across the alienage square as if imploring her to help. She hadn’t even noticed the tears cutting lines through her perfectly painted makeup until Solas leaned forward and gently brushed them away with his thumb.

“Who could do this?” Her chest ached and her voice warbled, but she held his gaze none the less.

“I am so sorry, da'len.” He held her chilled hands in his, called a gentle warming spell between them until her skin pinked. “Celene will say she had no choice in the matter.”

She turned from him and her eyes hardened as she thought of the cruelty the Emperoress had inflicted on the unsuspecting elves of Orlais. “Why?”

“She will say it was to quash a rising resistance, a dangerous rebellion, but the truth of the matter is much simpler. She wanted to snuff out the rumors that told the truth about her and her elven paramour.”

Ori’s shocked eyes met with Solas’s, still and unaffected. “She slaughtered them to stop rumors of her bedmate?”

Solas nodded and watched as a multitude of thoughts worked their way through Ori’s mind. Finally she broke the silence between them. “Maybe we should let her die.”

He squeezed the hand he still held, knowing no advice would change her mind. She’d make the right decision in the end. Celene would indeed be dead by night’s end.


End file.
